-Princess Egnalos-

"

‘At least Black Widow will be good.’ THAT’S WHAT EVERYONE SAID THE MOMENT THEY HIRED JOSS WHEDON.

AND THE FUNNY THING ABOUT EVERYONE WHO MADE THAT BLIND ASSUMPTION IS THAT THEY WERE ULTIMATELY RIGHT. AFTER ALL, JOSS WHEDON HAS HAD HIS FAIR SHARE OF FEMALE ASS-KICKING HEROES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY HE ALWAYS HAD A PENCHANT FOR MAKING THEM COMPELLING PEOPLE. IN HER PREVIOUS ROLE IN IRON MAN 2, BOTH SCARLET AND THE BLACK WIDOW CHARACTER WERE, WELL, FINE. BUT THERE IS NO DENYING SHE WAS PRETTY MUCH ONLY REQUIRED TO ALTERNATE BETWEEN SEXY/PROFESSIONAL AND KICK-ASS/PROFESSIONAL. THIS IS HOW MOST WOMEN’S ACTION ROLES ARE WRITTEN.

SO HOW DOES JOSS GO BEYOND THAT?

LOOK PEOPLE, IT’S NOT MAGIC. IT’S NOT EVEN THAT HARD. IT ALL COMES FROM A PLACE OF RESPECT. YOU BASICALLY SIT THERE AS A WRITER AND SAY THE FOLLOWING: “I will not take the easy route because I assume that is all that is expected of me. I will make this character a fully-realized person. I will give her a range of emotions. I will give her capacities beyond being sexy and kicking ass. I will give her great moments. I will not make her fight the other woman. I will give her the same stuff I’m required to give all the other characters.” THAT’S IT.

AND THAT’S HOW WE GOT A BLACK WIDOW WHO HAS GREAT MOMENTS, A SENSE OF HISTORY, A SENSE OF EMOTIONAL GRAVITAS, A RANGE OF EMOTIONS, AND HEY, WOULDN’T YOU KNOW IT? ALSO HAPPENS TO BE SEXY AND ASS-KICKING TOO. WHODATHUNK?

"